A record-breaking crowd of close to 500 guests filled the ballroom of the Hilton Stamford Hotel on Sunday evening, January 12, to honor several prominent leaders of the Fairfield County Jewish community at the Celebration Dinner, hosted by Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy. 

The gala evening, which was sold out for the first time in the event’s history, raised more than $1 million for the pre-K through grade 12 Jewish school, according to organizers.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and Stamford Mayor David Martin.

In keeping with the evening’s theme – “Imagine. Design. Create.” – the gala dinner also celebrated the relocation of Bi-Cultural’s Upper School to the school’s main  campus on High Ridge Road in Stamford, where the BCHA Lower School is housed.

The evening’s honorees included Guests of Honor Elise and Steven Cohen of Stamford; Community Service Award winners Alice and Jason Janush of Stamford; Tina and Yossi Notik of Stamford, recipients of the Young Leadership Award; and Laura Kassen of Westport, who was presented the Alumni Award. The Jane Shoztic Memorial Award, presented annually to an outstanding member of the Bi-Cultural staff, was given to Stamford’s David Giver, head of the high school’s Humanities Department.

The evening was also highlighted by the presentation of the Morton G. Scheraga President’s Award by David Pitkoff, president of the BCHA Board of Trustees, to Maria Reicin. A longtime Board member and the parent of Bi-Cultural students, Reicin was recognized for her dedication  and commitment to the school and the entire Fairfield County Jewish community.

Main Photo: BCHA Celebration Dinner: (front row, l to r): Head of School Jaqueline Herman, honorees Alice Janush, Laura Kassen, Elise Cohen and Tina Notik; (back row, l to r) BCHA President David Pitkoff, honorees Jason Janush, David Giver, Steven Cohen and Yossi Notik.